I've only heard Rienzi twice all the way through and both times were in performances that had considerable cuts. The edition used at La Scala for this performance cuts the opera down to two hours. While it makes for a tighter performance, one misses a lot, not to mention the sheer scope and pageantry of the original. It is also sung in Italian, but wrong language opera has never bothered me.Di Stefano was probably the raison d'etre for this production and he justifies the management's faith in him. Despite his voice being in decline at the time, he sings extremely well, performing Rienzi's famous prayer in the last act with sensitivity and grace. He fully deserves the ovation he receives from the audience. Cecchele is fine as Adriano, but his big aria is slashed to pieces. Why a male is cast in this role obviously meant for a travesti woman is incomprehensible. There are too many males voices and the opera becomes even more dreary than it already is. Kabaivanska gets off some great high notes in the last act (she has very little to do in this version). Scherchen leads the butchered score with enthusiasm.This sounds like it's taken from a broadcast, but the voices are frustratingly often off-mic. The second disc has excerpts from Forza del Destino with Di Stefano as a filler (which reminds you again how much has been cut from the main attraction).For fans of the singers.

Wow. . . So Callas’ beloved tenor (and mine) could deal with Wagner! The sound, unfortunately, is what can be expected from a 1964 live recording; the orchestra overwhelms the singers. However, a really rare operatic document–a must have.

Surprisingly good sound for this scarse item.Listen to the Prayer of Rienzi sung in pianissimo by di Stefano, and you’ll understand why people was going crazy for him.

If you forget about it being Wagner, you can enjoy this as a wonderfully tuneful, very dramatic, robustly sung Italianate 5-acter. The less than state-of-the-present-art sound somehow adds a certain attractive clunky panache to the proceedings, a sort of street-band oompah. All the singers sound at high peak, with Di Stefano especially stentorian, rock-steady, and full out.